You need a solid online presence to make it to the first page of the search results. A peep into competitors' insights, the joy of knowing how well your SEO strategies work, and the earnings from your company are what it takes to transition to the next level.
SEO is one of the known skills marketers use to build an online presence, improve website performance, increase traffic and improve the overall business. No doubt it takes longer to master, but once you do it properly, worth it.
So if you want to perform keyword research, audit your website, do competitive analysis, or just find a way or an SEO strategy to see how well you rank on Google, you need the best SEO tools to achieve them.
In this post, I reviewed and compared the features, pros and cons, and pricing of some of the best SEO tools like Ahrefs, SE Ranking, SEMRuch, and a few others so that you can win your SEO game this year.
Let’s get to the list.
The best SEO tools for 2023
There are several SEO tool providers in the market. Some offer free SEO tools, although they provide the entire service, and others offer expensive but extensive in-depth research services. Here are various cost and payment models.
Continue reading for a detailed analysis of the best SEO tools for 2023.
| Payment Model |
Description |
| Payment per Volume |
The provider charges for the volume of data research. |
| One-time Payment |
A business can use these SEO tools for a lifetime by paying for them once at the start. |
| Monthly Payment |
The providers of these tools charge their subscribers annually or monthly for the use of SEO tools for that period. |
| Freeware
(free SEO tools) |
These are SEO all-in-one tools and are provided at no cost whatsoever. |
1. Ahrefs
Ahrefs is an indispensable tool for all businesses that undertake the SEO needs of their websites. The consultants who provide SEO guidance or generate results for their clients, affiliate marketers as they work on multiple sites and the marketing team of companies that undertake complete SEO compliance for their organizations also find Ahrefs valuable.
Key features
Compared with its competitors, Ahrefs has some unique features that make it stand out among many. They are as follows:
- A keyword tool that provides metrics and data for Google and 10 other Search engines.
- It can be used to create web content that is likely to generate traffic
- The 'traffic value' of the URL refers to the amount of money you would need to invest in pay-per-click advertising in order to display links to your website at the forefront of Google search results.
- Keyword Explorer offers data for businesses to know if a keyword will work as a target.
- Provides an analogy of competitor website structure and identifies profitable sections for each country.
Pros
- It helps find high-ranking and low-competition keywords to draw more traffic on Google, YouTube, Yahoo, Bing, etc.
- Ahrefs points out the website content that was most shared, which helps generate similar content to earn more visits.
- You can use Ahrefs to track keywords locally (right down to town or city).
- Its accommodating 'domain verification system' enables cost-effective utilization of Ahrefs across multiple websites.
- It helps check own and competitor backlinks to recognize if the resultant high Domain Authority (DA) is from legit links.
Cons
- The user is denied the privilege of testing the software because it does not offer a trial for free.
- If you compare the link index of Ahrefs to its competitors, it is too small.
- Ahrefs does not offer phone support to its subscribers.
Pricing
Ahrefs doesn't come cheap; it will cost the user $99 monthly. However, it is a small price compared to the volume of competitive data it provides to help a business grow.
Product updates
The Ahrefs March 2023 updates include:
- New paid traffic column in the Organic keywords report.
- New word count metric in SERP overview tables.
- New sign-in email notification
2. SE Ranking
The Cloud-based platform offers 35 services like backlink analysis, keyword research, SEO on-page verification, etc., to help optimize websites to rank higher on SERPs.
Key features
The navigation of the SEO tools is simple as it has all its tools on one dashboard. We have listed the standout features of SE ranking below.
- The city-level tracking feature of SE ranking enables a website to track its ranking within the city.
- SE ranking is one of the most innovative SEO tools that are easy to install.
- White labeling comes with every pricing plan, enabling users to personalize the platform using their own branding.
- SE Ranking grants users API access, enabling seamless platform integration with other tools and platforms.
- Included in all pricing plans, SE Ranking's marketing plan tool furnishes users with a comprehensive guide to enhance their website's search engine ranking.
- Ensures improvisation through frequent reminders to improve website SEO.
Pros
- User-friendly software that is easy to work on
- Reasonably Priced
- Beneficial to SEO Service Agencies
- Provides detailed reports and analytics.
Cons
- Limited Features
- Not always accurate
- The interface can be slow at times.
- Some features may require additional payment.
- Freezes during Keyword Ranking updates
Pricing
SE Ranking allows users a free trial period of 14 days for each of its plans. It provides three pricing plans – Essential ($44), Pro ($87.20), and Business ($191.20). The rates in brackets are the starting rates.
Product updates
In response to the call from users for new and better features, SE Ranking has the following July 2023 updates.
- New AI Writer templates for more efficient text generation
- They made a stand-alone version of our Website Audit tool
- Adding the Content Score to Rankings, On-Page SEO Checker, and SERP Analyzer
- The Search Intent feature is now available in Keyword Manager.
- They simplified the process of managing website promotion features and tracking tasks within your marketing plans.
3. Semrush
SEMrush is a tool suite that provides business entities with marketing insights and ample opportunities to improve their online visibility. The SEMrush tools are of utmost value to managerial personnel who manage campaigns, manage and market content, and conduct competitive research and analysis by providing them with appropriate keywords and accurate marketing insights.
Key features
When you think of SEO, SEMrush as a multifunctional tool comes to mind primarily because of its impressive features that solve numerous SEO issues. We have listed the best features here for you:
Domain Overview
- Users see traffic dynamics, both organic and paid and the number of keywords used graphically.
- Simultaneous comparison with up to three competing sites.
- Data for the previous month is available for comparison with other sites in the category.
Traffic Analytics
- The tool provides information for the previous month with an option to track traffic dynamics for 6 months.
Organic Research
- The overall Google traffic a site has received and how it has changed throughout its existence.
- It enables you to select keywords effectively, generate content ideas, and comprehensively analyze sites' performance.
Pros
- Highly Reliable Keyword Analysis
- Quick To Point Out Spammy Backlinks
- Semrush simplifies domain analysis by presenting all essential information in one clear interface.
- The learning curve is relatively gentle.
- Affordable
Cons
- Too Much Technicality, Not For Beginners
- Allows Only One User
- Semrush offers data exclusively for Google, while competitors like Ahrefs offer data from multiple search engines.
- Provided Inaccurate Data With Export Or AdSpend
Pricing
SEMrush is in the affordable category, available in three plans, and the payment model is monthly or annually, as per the user's selection. Although the annual plan price is slightly steep because the entire payment is at once, it works out more economical (saving about 17%) than the monthly plan. Here are SEMrush pricing options:
Pro: $108.33 /mo paid annually
Guru: $208.33 /mo paid annually
Business: $416.66 /mo paid annually
Product updates
- Their latest AI Social Media Post Generator elevates brand presence with AI-driven, timely content creation.
- A new addition to the My Reports tool allows users with paid Semrush plans to easily share reports with team members, managers, partners, and non-Semrush users.
- The Podcast Hosting app, now in the Semrush App Center, helps users build loyal fan bases, optimize content, and engage across platforms with repurposed podcast content.
- Semrush's latest ChatGPT features expedite online review responses and enhance keyword selection for local business listings.
4. Sitechecker
Sitechecker is a website checker tool that provides users various performance scores for their websites. Users can easily detect problems with meta tags, age response speed, indexation, etc. The website traffic checker is one of its best features that displays website traffic statistics at various times through diverse channels.
Key features
Sitechecker improves a website's SEO by sending daily or weekly SEO reports through emails alerting users of drastic changes that could harm them. The advantage to website owners is that they don't have to spend much time on research purposes. Scroll down for more key features of Sitechecker.
Excellent Audit Tool
- An on-page extension for Chrome performs an on-page analysis enabling the audit of competing sites and saving time for the user.
Website Traffic Checker
- Live statistics on the user's website provide users with more traffic and better analysis opportunities.
Reports to Clients
- The user can download and send reports to their clients or simply have them emailed directly to them.
Pros
- Sitechecker is available with a free trial version; users can check and buy if it suits their purpose.
- It is a user-friendly interface with appropriate feedback and prompts for the user to improve the SEO of their site.
- Auditing is exceptionally easy on Sitechecker.
Cons
- The manual backlink tool would be of much more use if automatic.
- The SEO tools provide too much data, which is challenging to handle.
- The interface allows only a limited number of sites in the subscription levels.
Pricing
Sitechecker is an affordable SEO tool for large and medium businesses but may be slightly expensive for small business entities. Also, companies can save up to 20% by investing in Sitechecker's annual plans, which users can cancel anytime.
Product updates
Here are the most relevant Sitechecker updates for 2023:
- White Label options: Allows users to customize logos and host the application on their domain or Sitechecker's subdomain.
- Dashboard 2.0: The updated dashboard, known as Dashboard 2.0, offers a user-friendly experience with features like new widgets for different metrics, historical data access, detailed integrations from Google Analytics and Google Search Console, custom notes on graphs, and improved data visibility.
- Site Monitoring Updates: Site Monitoring now includes new graphs for Site Audit Content updates and additional events to inform users about website changes.
- Extended 14 Days Free Trial: The free trial period has been extended from 7 to 14 days, allowing users more time to explore the platform's features and suitability for their needs.
- New Features in the Insights Tool: The Insights tool introduces data export options, including CSV and Google Sheets formats, along with a country filter for efficient data analysis.
5. Serpstat
Serpstat is a text analytics tool that facilitates an efficient semantic search by organizing keywords with the same meaning into clusters. The advantage is that businesses can structure their websites depending on the semantic core.
Key features
Serpstat loads quickly is available free, and works to get a website more visibility to rank higher on the SERP. Check its key features below:
- User can track their own and competitors' ranks daily.
- You only need to click once to get the backlink data right.
- Serpstat's keyword research helps find the perfect keyword from a single URL.
Pros
- The SEO suite has all the tools a business can need to move up in ranks on the SERPs.
- The Serpstat tool provides detailed and comprehensive analytics information.
Cons
- Inaccuracy reported in Keyword difficulty analysis.
- Site audits take too long to do if the website has several pages.
Pricing
There is a limited trial period offer where the users can test the SEO tools for free. Also, one cannot consider Serpstat expensive for the features it provides. Check Serpstat pricing plans below:
Individual Plan: $50/mo paid annually
Team Plan: $100/mo paid annually
Agency Plan: $410/mo paid annually
Product updates
Check out the most significant update in Serpstat for 2022-23.
The makers of Serpstat have released six new tools, and users can expect more of those in the days to come.
The inclusions are:
- Title Generation
- Paraphrasing
- Grammar And Spelling
- Article Generation
- Keyword Extraction
The Local SEO section enables you to manage information about your company across dozens of directory sites.
How to choose the best SEO tools
To adapt to the modifications in the search engine algorithm of today, the best SEO tools for a business will be those that offer a suite of tools to work as crawlers, keyword finders and evaluators, link builders, market research, etc.
Follow the pointers below to find the best SEO tools for your business.
Begin by asking the right question
Here are some of the questions businesses must ask themselves to choose the right SEO software to raise their SERP rankings:
- What kind of features should the SEO software have to suit my business?
- Will I get all I need as a suite of tools in a package?
- What is my budget for SEO tools?
- Will the reports be customized as per my business needs?
Choose the platform that offers maximum accuracy
Check testimonials and customer reviews to know how well the platform works and how accurately it presents data.
How good is the website audit?
A business must check the performance of the SEO strategies to recognize what does not work for them and increase the use of SEO techniques that work for them.
Ethical peeping into competitor strategies
The SEO tools must provide data concerning the various strategies that work for the competitors and find means to use similar techniques to rank higher.
The efficiency of the SEO tools in presenting reports
There are three elements that a business must scrutinize –report automation, the extensiveness of the data in the reports and its customization. The best way of checking the feature is by opting for the trial version.
Opt for simplicity
Look for SEO tools that are simple to operate and that both experienced and freshers will find easy to use. Also, check if the software is user-friendly and provides help menus.
Understanding SEO tools
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) tools crawl web pages to analyze the value of their content for higher rankings on search engines. They provide competitor information concerning backlinks, keywords, and other SEO considerations to help edge your way to the top. Consider the table below to know the uses of SEO tools.
| Consideration |
Uses |
Analysis |
| Keyword |
Matches websites to user queries. |
Investigate website-associated keywords also used by competitors that bring more visitors to the website. |
| Content |
Exposes weak areas that hinder ranking and visibility in the SERPs. |
Evaluation and improvisation of existing content & top ranking elements for target keywords to earn higher organic ranking. |
| Backlinks |
Optimization of link-building efforts to ensure higher ranks. |
Promotes link popularity by pointing to the links that help earn maximum equity. |
| Domain |
Evaluates domains to provide valuable competitor insights. |
Compare whose website is more powerful, yours or competitors'. |
| Ranking |
Tell you how search engines rate your website. |
Ranks webpages and websites after comparison with competitors. |
| Social Media |
Identifies social media trends depending on frequently used keywords. |
Social media data to know the number of users who access blogs SERP through social media networks. |
There is no doubt that SEO tools offer innumerable benefits to those who use them to build on analytics to improvise, but they can be the cause of lower ranking if mishandled.
For instance, some websites try to fool search engines by adding too many backlinks for plagiarized or low-quality content.
The search engine will not take much time to uncover such discrepancies and will penalize them by lowering their ranking.
There are four types of SEO Tools. They are as follows:
| Types |
Function |
| Keyword Tools |
Help find the right keyword and evaluate its performance. |
| Crawlers and Audits |
Analyze the vital points to build on and the weaknesses to overcome in each aspect of the website. |
| All-In-One |
Provides a suite of tools to optimize a website through SEO strategy optimization. |
| Link Building Tools |
Helps earn referral traffic through backlink profile improvisation. |
| Local SEO Tools |
Enhances local SEO to attract traffic to online and offline spaces. |
Why are SEO tools so important for business?
How can a business transform its customers into happy, satisfied, loyal customers who keep returning for more?
A business must use an SEO methodology that many have tried and become successful. However, they must be careful not to use generic techniques. Instead, they must customize them to suit their business needs. That's the formula for a small business to grow and become multinational. And that's precisely why SEO tools become essential to all companies. Scroll down to learn the multiple ways in which SEO all-in-one tools become indispensable for a business.
More visibility, brand awareness and credibility with SEO tools
According to a Zero Limit Web study's CTR results, the first five websites on the first page of the search results get about 67.60% clicks.
In contrast, websites in positions 6 to 10 get only 3.73% of the clicks. The 3.73% are probably those who could not find the information they needed on the first five websites and decided to check the rest out, hoping to find it. We can thus conclude that people believe that the first five results on the SERPs (search engine results page) have the best information and a high ranking on the search result provides three essential growth elements – Visibility, brand awareness and credibility.
So, how do SEO tools help businesses with that?
It is hard to cheat the search engine to appear on top. Businesses need valuable content with keywords that their audience is constantly on the search for and valuable backlinks to push up the rankings. Check the Terakeet case study below to know how effective SEO tools are for the online marketing strategy of a business.
| Challenge |
People thoroughly investigate financial services before deciding to buy. Unfortunately, the lack of resources did not allow the company to spread its wings online. |
| Solution |
The use of a combination of SEO tools for strategic outreach, competitive analysis, user experience, technical SEO, and content SEO. |
| Results |
Within 22 months, the company's Google organic market share increased by 265%. |
Businesses can retain existing customers and gain new ones by understanding their needs
The bounce rates are higher on slow-loading websites. When the website loads slowly, the generally impatient visitors will click to get out of there and move to the following website in the SERP. Right from 2015, the benchmark for website loading time is below 2 seconds; even these have a bounce rate of 9% and rise to 38% if the website takes 5 seconds to load.
Engagements are possible when a website must load fast and provide valuable, comprehensible content; surfing the net becomes a joyful experience for the customer because they understand the website content and all content displays clearly on their device, even if it is a mobile phone. And a business can achieve all that and more through SEO optimization by using SEO, all-in-one tools.
Check out another case study below to understand the relevance of SEO tools for customer retention and increased sales volume.
| Challenge |
A new digital marketing firm struggles for visibility on the SERP, as the industry is overflowing with well-established competitors. |
| Solution |
Creating better content through SEO strategies like best practices in content planning, keyword research and on-page optimization. |
| Results |
There was a 321% rise in organic traffic in just 12 months. |
To sum up
Depending on your resources and business, investing in an SEO tool can improve your ranking and work wonders for your business. Use this article on the top SEO tools for 2023 as a guide to help you with your choice.
FAQ
What are SEO tools?
SEO tools help website owners to improve their ranking in search engine results. In addition, it helps optimize web content by analyzing content for backlinks, keywords, and insights into competitors.
How do SEO Tools help businesses?
Analytics. Keyword Research. Links. Local SEO. Mobile SEO. On-page SEO. Research. Rank Checking. Site Speed. WordPress SEO.
How to Rank Higher On Google?
Improve Your On-Site SEO. Add LSI Keywords To Your Page. Monitor Your Technical SEO. Match Your Content to Search Intent. Reduce Your Bounce Rate. Find Even Keywords to Target. Publish Insanely High-Quality Content.
Free SEO Tools?
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools also asked Google Trends Google SERP Snippet Optimizer Tool Ahrefs’ SEO Toolbar Hunter.io Help a Reporter Out (HARO) GTmetrix
